Support of pivoted guns.



K. VGLLER & 0. WANINGER.

SUPPORT OF PIVOTED GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.6,1912.

1,073,061. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

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I SUPPORT OF PIVO'IED GUNS.

ALPILIUATION FILED MAR. 6,1912.

K. VO'LLBR & 0. WANINGER. SUPPORT OF PIVOTED GUNS.v APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 6,1912.

1,073,061 Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL V6LLER AND CARL WANINGER, OF DUSSELDORF, GERMANY.

SUPPORT OF PIVOTED GUNS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, KARL VoLLun, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 12 Scharnhorststrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany, and CARL I-winner, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 128 Uerdingenstrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Supports of Pivoted Guns; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In pivot guns the pivot pin is carried on a supporting frame, which allows the pin a certain amount of play at the upper and lower parts and the pin engages in special [bearings provided in the frame. 2 O

lVhen such guns are mounted on board ship a tilting moment is produced by the inclination of the vessel, which presses the pivot pin against the said bearings. This makes it diflicult to turn the gun in the pivot supports so as to train it as required. It has been previously proposed, to lessen the friction due'to the rubbing of the pin by arranging an upper circular ball hearing, but this still leaves the rubbing friction at the lower pivot pin bearing. The present invention obviates this drawback, by providing between the pivot frame and the pivot pin, which is journaled in the frame at the top and bottom with a certain amount of clearance, at least one spring ball bearing, so as to allow a given displacement of the pivot pin, due to the tilting moment, which may be set up. Also to avoid too much friction at the trunnions due to the tilting moment when the ship rolls, according to the invention, the trunnion bearings are also provided with annular spring ball bearings.

A construction according to the invention is represented in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the pivot pin bearings. Fig. 2 is a cross section through the gun barrel in the axis of the trunnions. Fig. 8 is an axial section of a particular construction of a spring ball bearing. Fig. 4 is a front view partly in section of this ball bearing. Fig. 5 is a modification.

The pivot pin a (Fig. 1) which carries the trunnion bearings in the fork b, is supported in the frame 0 by means of the two bearings d and e, of which the lower (5 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 6, 1912.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913. Serial No. 681,993.

clearance between the sockets and the pin.

These sockets are slightly conical to allow for the tilting movements at the corresponding parts of the pivot pin.

In order that there should be no friction at the borings it and 71 due to the tilting moments when the ship is inclined, at both places spring ball bearings and Z are inserted, which take up the thrust of the tilting moment. Only in the case when the tilting moment is so great, that it exceeds the spring resistance of the ball bearings, can such an inclination of the pivot take place, as to overstep the clearance at the sockets h and 2'. Such an increase in the tilting moment is however only likely to occur at the moment. of firing, consequently at a time, when no rotation of the pivot pin is required, while the tilting moment due to the inclination of the ship depends simply upon the distribution of the weight of the gun and can be kept within the limits suitable to the spring resistance of the ball bearing.

To prevent any friction at the trunnions due to tilting moments, the arms of the fork b are also formed with spring ball bearings m in which the trunnions n are journaled. By this formation, when the ship is inclined, the trunnions will not move with excessive friction, in the bearings and thereby render the movement difficult. The springs give on firing and the impulse is transmitted to the fork b.

The preferred form of construction of the spring ball bearing which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4;, comprises two concentric rings 0 and 79, between which the balls 9 are placed. The outer ring 29 is not fixed as in the ordinary construction, but is displaceable in a casing r which has a detachable cover or section 8. In the casing is a closely wound spiral spring t, which is held between the displaceable ring 2?, and the circumferential wall of the casing r and a retaining ring it. This spring is designed to give under the action of stresses normal. to the axis of the ball bearing. Springs of other shape can be used, but the form shown has an especial advantage on account of the perfectly symmetrical spring action on the whole circum ference of the ball bearing. It may have any required cross section, and might also be placed inside the ball bearing, as shown in Fig. 5, wherein we have shown a slight modification, the ball bearings Z and 70 being arranged within the pivot pin between the latter and the pillar.

As shown in Fig. 8 the ring 0 of the ball bearing is of less diameter than the opening in the casing and can therefore be moved out of parallelism with the ring 79. This permits the pin to take up a small inclination or movement about any point.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a pivoted gun having a depending centrallynrranged pivot member, a frame KARL voLLnn. 1A. 8.] CARL VVANINGER. [L.s.] Witnesses HELEN Noreen, A. NUFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

